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Polish billionaire Rafal Brzoska and his wife are preparing to take legal action against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, over a series of fake advertisements circulating on the platforms. These ads falsely feature Brzoska's image and spread misinformation about his wife.
Brzoska, the founder of the Polish parcel locker company InPost, expressed frustration over Meta's failure to address the issue despite being notified at the beginning of July. He announced plans to file a lawsuit against the social media giant, although the jurisdiction for the case has yet to be determined.
"We plan to file a private lawsuit against Meta... We have not yet determined in which jurisdictions we will sue Meta. We will decide in the next few weeks," Brzoska stated. He also mentioned that they are considering "absolutely all scenarios, including a lawsuit in the United States if there is inaction in Europe."
The lawsuit aims to stop Meta from profiting off the promotion of content that infringes on their rights. Brzoska and his wife also plan to demand a significant compensation, which they intend to donate to charity, reflecting the level of advertising revenue generated by the spread of such disinformation.
This legal move comes as part of a broader global effort to hold internet companies accountable for the continued appearance of harmful and misleading ads, even after users have reported them. Last week, the President of the Personal Data Protection Office in Poland ordered Meta Platforms Ireland Limited to halt the display of false advertisements featuring Brzoska and his wife on Facebook and Instagram for three months.
A Meta spokesperson responded to the situation, stating, "Scammers use every platform available to them to defraud people and constantly adapt to evade getting caught. Scam content breaks our rules, and we remove it when we find it." The spokesperson added that the company is currently assessing the Polish authority's decision and is committed to working with local businesses, administrations, and law enforcement to combat these scams.
As Brzoska and his wife prepare their case, the outcome could set a precedent in the ongoing battle against fraudulent online content and the responsibility of social media platforms to protect their users from such abuses.
